Device for separating gas from liquid



March 24, 1936. A. LANSER DEVICE FOR SEPARATING GAS FROM LIQUID Filed Dec. 19, 1932 Patented Mar. 24," 1936 PATENT OFFlCE pnvrcn FOR. SEPARATING GAS FROM LIQUID Alfred Lanser, Corseaux-Vevey, Switzerland, assigner, by mesne assignments, to S. F. Bowser & Company, Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind.

Application December 19, 1932, Serial No. 641,968 a In France February 4, 1932 ,This invention relates in general to a means 12- Claims. (CL. 183-25) Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the for and method of separating, from a liquid, the device embodying my present invention;

gases which it may contain and has more particular reference to an air separator for installation in a fluid dispensing system, such, for instance, as a gasoline delivery device.

An important object of my invention is to provide an air separator of the character mentioned, in which the liquid, being treated to separate out-the contained gases, is given a centrifugal swirling movement without requiring sudden changes in the direction of the movement of theliquid in passing through the separator. Another important-object resides in providing an economical and simple structure, which is compact, eflicient in operation, and of durable constructioniand which can be manufactured at low cost.

Another important object is to provide in a device of the character described, a swirling, chamber in which the liquid, being treated, may be subjected to centrifugal action inpr'der to separate the entrained air or other, gases ef-f fectively.

Another importantobject is to provide a device constructed to admit the liquid into the swirling 1 chamber under uniform'pressure at all points in the circumference of the swirling chamber. 1 Still another important object is to provide means for removing the separated gases and returning such liquid as may be removed with the gases to the input of the device. Another important'object is to provide a centrifugal air separator of improved construction and efilcient operation,

Another important object resides in providing a centrifugal air separatorhaving means to feed the fluid-to, be treated into the separator tangentially in order to provide aswirling action without using mechanical agitators.

Another important object is to provide a separator having means to seal the outletthrough which the separated air is removed, and to open the air outlet only when air actually has been separated from the fluid in order to minimize the possibility cfthe escape of fluidthrough the air outlet and to seal the separator, except when it is necessary to remove the separated air.

Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparent from ,the following descripticn, which,

. taken in con'nectionwith the accompanying drawing, discloses a my invention.. y Referring to the drawing: 7

preferred embodiment of "'In the illustrated embodiment, the liquid out- Fig'ure2 is a horizontal section of the device illustrated by Figure l; and I Figure 3 is a diagrammatic section of a liquid 5 system showing one mode of installing the air separator in such a system.

To illustrate my invention, I have shown on the drawing in Figure 3, a system for delivering fluid from a suitable storage tank H and dis-J pensing .the same at the remote delivery nozzle I5. The fluid is pumped through a suitable conduit H, by means of the pump l9 into the inlet 2| of an air separator 23, the details of which are shown in-Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, and which is constructed in accordance with. the teachingsof my present invention.

The air separator has a liquid outlet 21 con nected by a suitable conduit 29, preferably through a metering device 3|, and a sight glass an outlet 4| connected by means of a suitable conduit 43 to deliver any fluid, which may be removed from the main fluid stream with the 90 separated air, back to that part of the system which is connected to the inlet 2| of the sep arator.

43 to-the storage tank The air separator 23 comprlses'a let 4| is 'shown connected by means of the conduit main casing 45. having an upstanding preferably cylindrical wall 4l formed on abase. 49 havlng a-partition 5| dividing the base into an inlet, channel 53, into which the inlet 2| opens, and an-air outletor ejector chamber 55, the partition 5| being extended as at 5I to form a substantially conical portion separating the chamber from the space within the upstanding WflHSeT. The walls ofthe casing 45 also are provided with outlet openings {for the chambers, said openings forming the air and liquid outlets 39 and 4|. A substantially cylmdrical element 55 is housed within the upstanding wall portion 41, the sameliaving an annular outwardly extending threaded flange portion'iil, making threaded engagement with an inwardly extending flange 83 formed in the casing 45 at a point spaced above the partition portion 41. The cylindrical memor openings 69 and, with the walls 'll of the" casing 45 innnediately below the threaded flange 63, forms an annular channel 13 communicating at one, end with the inlet'channel 53 and separated. at its other end from the inlet channel by means of an upstanding wal portion 15. forming a continuation of the p ition 5|. The casing 45 is so formed that the cross-sectional area of the channel "13 decreases from the end communicating with the inlet channel 53 toward its end 11' which abuts the upstanding portion 15 of the partition 5|. The cylindrical member 59, flares inwardly above the upper end of the slotted flanged portion 65 and the conical partition portion 5'! is provided with an extension 19, preferably threaded thereon, forming a nozzle extending upwardly within the upper portions of the cylindrical member 59, said nozzle portion having an upwardly opening end 81 providing a valve seat for receiving a ball valve 83 which is connected to a bell 85 comprising an inverted cupshaped member to the bottom of which the ball valve 83 is connected and the side walls extend downwardly within the annular space defined by and between the upper portions of the cylindrical member 59 and the cylindrical upwardly. extending walls 47 of the main casing.

/The cylindrical member 59 also has an outwardly extending flange81 at its base, which extends substantially to the lower edge of the bell 85.

A- cover 89, having an outlet opening forming the fluid outlet 21, is sealingly secured across the upper edge of the casing in order to complete the structure of the air separator. Fluid, to be treated, enters the inlet 2! and travels upwardly through the channel 53 and into the annular channel 13, the decreasing cross-sectional area.

of which applies a uniform fluid pressure inwardly upon the flanged portion 85. The fluid, under the influence of this uniform pressure passes through all of the slots 69 at a uniform rate and acquires a centrifugal swirling action within the space defined by and between the cylindrical member 59 and theconical portion 5'! and its nipple-like extension 19. The swirling fluid travels upwardly along the upwardly extending walls of the cylindrical member 59, the centrifugal action imparted to theswirling fluid assisting in separating the air therefrom at this point. The liquid flnally escapes over the upper edge of the member 59 and passes downwardly through the annular space defined by and between the member 59,and the bell 85, the swirling action continuing until the fln. 81 is reached. The liquid then passes under the lower edge of the bell and upwardly through the annular space defined by .and between the bell and outer wall of the casing to the outlet 21 whence the fluid passes to the delivery line. The air and other gases separated from the fluid collects in the upper portion of the bell 85. a

-When a sufllcient amount of air is thus collected, the bell will be raised slightly by the pressure ofv the accumulated gases and will lift the valve 88 from its seat 8|, whereupon the separated air,1carrying with it 'a small quantity of liqui'd'will pass downwardly through the member "into moval of such gases therefrom.

the chamber 55 whence the air will escape through a the outlet 39, while the entrained liquid for the most part will gravitate through the outlet 4| and back to the reservoir ll.

It should be noted that the valve 88, due to the weight of the bell will normally remain closed until a suflicient amount of air has collected so that if the liquid being treated contains no separable air the device will be sealed against the escape of fluid through the nipple l9 and the chamber 55. This feature promotes the efllciency gagement with its seat 8| even though the bell may be-tilted slightly from its normal vertical position.

It should likewise be noted that on account of the decreasing cross-sectional area of the channel 13, the liquid is forced through the openings 88 at a-uniform rate throughout the entire circumference of the flange 65 and consequently no choking is produced and a greater swirling speed of the liquid within the member 59 is attained.

It is thought that theinvention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form,

construction, and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein described being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis as'follows: 4

1.'A device forseparating gases from liquids containing the same comprising means to impart a swirling action to the liquid being treated in a order to promote the separation ,of gases contained in the liquid so swirled, a bell to collect the separated gases during the swirling action and normally closed valve means operable in response to the separation and. collection of removable quantities of gases in the bell to permit the re- 2. A device for separating gases from liquids containing the same comprising means forming sectional area uniformally decreasing throughout its length from the fluid inlet thereto whereby the fluid, passing from the inlet chamber through the openings into the separating chamber, will do so at a uniform rate at all points in the circymfer ence of the separating chamber.

3. A device for separating gases from liquids containingthe same comprising means formi a separatingchamber into which liquid to be trea may be in roduced-under pressure, a liquid inlet chamber separated from the separating chamber and communicating therewith through tangential openings at intervals circumferentially of the separating chamber whereby fluid passing from the inlet chamber to the separating chamber will be given a swirling action in the separating chamher to promote the separation of air and liquid in the tangential opening into the separating chamher at a uniform rate at 'all liquid inlet points in the circumference of the separating chamber.

4. A device for separating gases from liquids containing the same comprising a casing, partition 'means in said casing defining an annular separating chamber having tangential inlet openings arranged circumferentially in the lower portions of the separating chamber, an annular inlet chamber communicating with said inlet openings, means to deliver fluid to be treated under pressure to the annular inletchamber, an air outlet chamber extending centrally of the separating chamber and terminating at its upper end in a valve 'seat opening at the upper 'end of the separating chamher, a bell enclosing the upper open end of the separating chamber and having walls spaced from and encircling the walls of the separating chamber to provide a downwardly opening outlet forthe liquid discharged at the upper end of the separating chamber, said bell having a valve normally engaging the side of the'air outlet whereby liquid to be treated may be introduced into the inlet chamber and enter the separating chamber through the tangential openings therebetween with a swirling action to promote the separation of the-air and liquid in the separating chamber, the liquid escaping outwardly at the upper end of the separating chamber and the separated air escaping through the valved opening centrally of the separating chamber.

5. A device, for. separating gases from liquids containing the same, comprising means forming an annular inlet chamber, means forming an to promote the separation of gases from the liquid,

said inlet chamber having an inlet for the liquid to be treated and having a variable cross-sectional configuration in order to equalize the pressure at all openings through which the liquid is delivered from-the inlet chamber to the separating chamber.

6. .'A device, for separating gases from liquids "containing the same, comprising an annular separating chamber having walls defining an upwardly facing gas discharge opening, means to deliver liquid to be treated into the lower portions of said separating chamber and to impart a swirling action to the liquid so delivered in the seperating chamber, bell means to collect gases separated from the liquid during the swirling action livery of the collected gases through said discharge opening.

'7. A device, for separating gases from liquids containing the same, comprising anannular separating chamber having walls defining an upwardly facing discharge opening, r'nansto deliver liquid to be treated into the lower portions of said separating chamber and to impart a swirlaction to the liquid so delivered in the sep-' arating chamber, means forming an annular receiving chamber for gas-free liquid encircling said *separating chamber in position to receive gasfree liquid discharged at the upper end of, said separating chamber, and a bell enclosing the upper end of the separating chamber and adapted to collect, at the upper end of the chamber, gases separated from the liquid during the swirling action, saidbell having walls extending in said receiving chamber with the lower edge of said walls extending below the discharge opening at the upper end of the separating chamber, said receiving chamber having an outlet for gas free liquid located above the lower edge of said bell.

8. A device, for separating gases from liquidscontaining the same, comprising means forming a separating chamber and means to impart a swirling action to liquid in said chamber in order to promote the separation of the gases contained in the liquid, means comprising a bell to collect the gases separated from the liquid during the swirling action, and a conduit extending axially of said I separated gases, ormally'closed valve means in the upper end 0 the conduit, and said bell being operable in response to the collection of a removable "quantity of gas to open said valve means and permit discharge of the gases through said axially extending conduit. f

9. A device, for separating gases from liquids containing the same, comprising means forming a separating chamber, means to impart a swirling action to liquid in said chamber in order to promote the separation of the gases contained in the liquid, movable means to collect the gases separated from the liquid during the swirling action, a conduit extending axially of said separating chamber for removing theseparated gases, and valve means movable with the collector means and normally closing said conduit and operable in response to the accumulation of removable quantities of gases to open said conduit for the removal of said accumulated gases therethrough.

10. A device for separating gases from liquids containing the-same comprising achamber provided with means to impart a swirling action to the liquid being treated in order to promote the separation of gases therein, a bell in the chamber to collect the separated gases during the swirling action and normally closed valvemeans mounted on the bell and operable in response to the sepaseparating chamber for removing the ration and collection of removable quantities of ases within the bell to permit the removal of such gases from the bell.

11. A devicefor separating gases from liquids containing the same comprising means forming a swirling chamber in which the liquid being treated may be subjected to centrifugal action in swirling chamber, and means to collect the separated gas and movable to shift said valve when a removable quantity of gas has accumulated whereby to permit the accumulated gas to escape the separated gases in the swirling chamber and through said valve to the ejector chamber.

a 12. A device-for separating gases from liquids containing the same comprising a swirling chamber, means to impart a swirling action to the liquid being treated in the swirling chamber whereby to permit the separation of gases contained in the swirled. liquid, collector means to collect movable in response to the collectionot gas, a gas outlet, and a valve for said gas outlet mounted on the collector means and operable in response to the collection of removable quantities or gases in said collector means to permit the removal of such gases from the device.

ALFRED LANSER. 

